PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF URTICA DIOICA AND TAURINE ON CARBON TETRA CHLORIDE INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN RATS

Liver and kidneys are essential in metabolism and elimination of waste products from body and likewise susceptible to damage induced by toxins, chemicals and therapeutic drugs during their metabolic degradation and removal. Herbal therapies have gained a lot of attention during these days due to least reported side effects, similarly supplementation of various nutrients have also been shown to minimize hepatic and renal toxicities induced by xenobiotics. The present study therefore was aimed to explore the protective properties of a medicinal plant "Urtica dioica" & an amino acid "Taurine" against hepatic and renal toxicities persuaded by carbon tetra chloride in male wistar rats. Carbon tetrachloride administration in rats is one of the oldest methods for experimental induction of liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and nephrotoxicity chiefly via formation of reactive free oxygen radicals, lipid peroxidation and oxidation of proteins that further lead to damage of membrane and reduction in the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Urtica dioica (UD) belongs to family Urticaceae, used as herbal medicine since ancient times for the treatment of illnesses including liver cirrhosis, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), rheumatoid arthritis, Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, hypertension and colitis. Different parts of the plant contain steroids, terpenoids, lectins and flavanol glycosides that exhibit potent antiinflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-carcinogenic, immunostimulatory and antioxidant activities. Taurine is one of the few known naturally occurring sulfonic acids widely distributed in animal tissues and primarily synthesized in liver and CNS. It plays fundamental roles in cellular development and differentiation, membrane stabilization, osmoregulation and antioxidation. In this study 36 male albino wistar rats were distributed in to six groups (n=6). Control group remained untreated healthy rats, CCl? group received CCl? (0.8 ml/Kg b.w, s.c, for 8 weeks, twice a week), CCl?+UD group received CCl? (0.8 ml/Kg body weight , subcutaneously for 8 weeks, two times per week) together with UD (2 ml/kg UD extract intra-peritoneal (i.p) daily for 8 weeks), UD group was given UD (2 ml/kg UD extract i.p daily for 8 weeks), group CC4+Taurine obtained CCl? (0.8 ml/Kg b.w, s.c, for 8 weeks, twice a week) together with taurine (1% w/v with drinking water daily for 8 weeks); Turine group was given taurine (1% w/v through drinking water daily for 8 weeks). Biochemical analysis included total bilirubin, liver enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP), urea, creatinine, BUN, hepatic and renal antioxidant enzymes (catalase, SOD & GSH), MDA, PON-1, CP & SDH. Histopathological features were investigated in liver and kidney tissues. The 8 weeks treatment of rats with CCl? created hepatotoxicity as indicated by elevated bilirubin, ALT, AST, SDH, ALP and MDA levels and reduced activity of catalase, GSH & SOD PON-1 & CP in CCl? treated group. CCl? treatment resulted in renal impairments exhibited via increased urea, creatinine, BUN and MDA levels whereas decreased antioxidant enzymes catalase, SOD & GSH levels in CCl? treated group. Urtica dioica and taurine treatments along with CCl? in groups (CCl?+UD) & (CC4+Taurine) for sixty days have been shown to minimize hepatotoxic effects of CCl? by significantly reducing the elevated liver enzyme, lipid peroxidation and raised the decreased antioxidant levels. On the other hand the nephrotoxic effects of CCl? were reverted by UD and taurine treatment as indicated by reduced urea, creatinine, BUN & MDA and enhanced catalase, SOD & GSH levels.\ud The hepatic histologic findings indicated portal and periportal fibrosis in CCl? treated rats with 40% degenerative hepatocytes. UD treatment together with CCl? indicated slight periportal fibrosis, fatty changes with no degenerative hepatocytes whereas slight periportal fibrosis with apparently no degenerative hepatocytes were seen in rats treated with taurine along with CCl?. The renal histologic findings indicated tubulointerstitial fibrosis with no mesengial proliferation in CCl? treated rats. UD & taurine treatments along with CCl? have been shown to prevent tubule-interstitial fibrosis in rats of groups (CCl?+UD) & (CC4+Taurine). ROS induced oxidative stress plays a crucial part in mechanism of hepatotoxicity and an approach that may reduce the burden of reactive free radicals may overcome the toxic effects induced by those free radicals. The experimental results indicated that Urtica dioica and Taurine have shown anti-inflammation and anti-fibrotic effects against hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity induced by CCl? principally via scavenging ROS, reducing lipid peroxidation and enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities thus reducing oxidative burden which is the foundation of various pathophysiological progressions including cirrhosis associated with increased indisposition and death. In conclusion, our experimental results suggest that Urtica dioica and taurine have successfully resumed liver and renal functions after acute episodes of toxicity induced by CCl?.The study therefore can be advantageous to scientists, health experts, pharmacologists and researchers in developing evidence-based alternative medicine beneficial in the prevention and treatment of hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity and improve hepatic and renal functions without any side effects